Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
Controlling drug addiction among children
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment financed the Government of NCT Delhi’s survey on mapping and estimation of street children who use drugs in Delhi. The survey was conducted by AIIMS during the year 2015 and it was estimated that 22.1 % of all street children of NCT of Delhi have used some substance excluding tobacco in the last one year. Tobacco, alcohol, cannabis and inhalants were commonly used. As per the report of the survey, the common reasons for substance initiation were peer pressure, curiosity, to experience high, to be part of the peer group, to deal with various stress and difficulty in life like anger/sadness, harsh weather, handle hunger or to forget about the family.
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has issued an advisory to all States and Union Territories on 11.8.2016 for taking coordinated action to address the problem of drug abuse which, inter-alia, includes prevention of substance abuse among children in the country such as:-
- Conducting Sensitization and Preventive education programmes in schools and colleges throughout the year.
- Establishing separate and specialized de-addiction treatment centres/facilities for drug dependent children, especially in Government Hospitals/Medical colleges.
- III. Providing treatment facilities for those in the Juvenile Justice Systems including Juvenile Homes and Children Homes.
- IV. Providing appropriate facilities for children including street children.
- Creating awareness generation through Youth organizations like Nehru Yuva Kendra, NSS and through print, electronic and social media.
The National Institute of Social Defence , an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment conducts sensitization and preventive education programmes in schools and colleges on regular basis. During the year 2017-18, NISD has conducted 247 awareness generation programmes in various Schools and Universities/Colleges covering 23006 beneficiaries.
In addition, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment implements a "Central Sector Scheme of Assistance for Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance  Abuse" which provides financial assistance to eligible Non-Governmental Organizations, Panchayati Raj Institution, Urban Local Bodies, etc. for running Integrated Rehabilitation Centres of Addicts to provide composite/integrated services for the rehabilitation of addicts including child users.
Ministry of Women and Child Development have informed that the Juvenile Justice  Act, 2015  has come into effect from 15.01.2016 repealing the Juvenile Justice  Act, 2000. In the said Act, a separate chapter has been added in which stringent penalty has been imposed on whoever gives intoxicating liquor or narcotic drug or psychotropic substance to a child. Section 77 and 78 of the JJ Act, 2015 read as follows:
Section 77- Whoever gives, or causes to be given, to any child any intoxicating liquor or any narcotic drug or tobacco products or psychotropic substance, except on the order of a duly qualified medical practitioner, shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years and shall also be liable to a fine which may extend up to one lakh rupees.
Section 78- Whoever uses a child, for vending, peddling, carrying, supplying or smuggling any intoxicating liquor, narcotic drug or psychotropic substance, shall be liable for rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years and shall also be liable to a fine up to one lakh rupees.
No authentic data is available on the details of number of children belonging to poor, medium and upper strata of the society involved in such addiction.
This information was given by Minister of state for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Vijay Sampla in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.